The Loyalty Claws
by NakanoHana
Summary: Axel is NOT a pet person. His girlfriend, Larxene, is. Then one night she brings home a stray kitten who's more than what he seems. And that's where all the trouble starts. *possible akuroku later, not sure. may just be friends. rated for language
1. Axel's bad day

It really was true. Another day, another dollar.

Sometimes Axel still wondered to himself how he had ended up working in a rinky-dink little music store on the far side of Twilight Town. He'd gone to university, taken all the classes. He should have been working his way up to copyright attorney. That was where the real money was.

But no. Instead, here he was working at a small "mom and pop" type record store, which would probably be going out of business soon anyways. F.Y.E. was one of the few moderately successful chains that sold music theses days, for those who even bothered to buy the cds anymore. Tower Records had fallen years ago, and it was just about time that this place followed suit.

The sky was already pitch black by the time he left.

Thanks, Old Man Winter... the redhead thought grudgingly, as he stepped outside and immediately shuddered violently. The wind was picking up, and by the look of the starless sky, it was probably going to rain later.

Great...Just great...

Axel pulled his coat tighter about himself as he began the agonizingly slow walk home. The tram was out of order for at least another week due to maintenance issues, and being a fresh-outta-school kid in his early twenties, Axel had no money to spare for a car. Sometimes he really wished he had.

Heaven forbid his girlfriend Larxene drive across town to pick him up. Now, because she had a real job, she had a much tougher schedule than him. But it didn't help that he had left their apartment earlier that day with no umbrella! Hearing a clap of thunder in the distance, Axel sighed loudly, trudging home on his own in gloomy defeat.

He didn't care if he was being unfair to Larxene. It started pouring halfway home, and Axel's hair, which he always meticulously styled every morning with his special hair gel, was flat and damp against the back of his neck. It irritated him; so much so that he began a string of curses halfway up the stairs. Finally reaching the 8th floor (was Luxord so hard up for cash that he really couldn't even afford an elevator?), Axel shoved his hand into his pocket and dug out his keys. He felt cold and sopping wet, and he hated it...

The sound of some daytime sitcom filled his ears. Great, now someone had left the damn tv on. Ditching his coat in the hall closet, Axel quickly made his way back to the small bedroom he shared with Larxene. The room, like the rest of the place, wasn't grand by any means, but at the end of the day, it really did feel like home. Shedding his other wet clothes, the redhead donned a pair of red plade pajama pants and short-sleeved black t-shirt. He then proceeded to go back into the small living area and flop down on the couch, staring blankly at the blaring tv screen for a while. He wasn't really paying attention to what was on; it was just that the static was rather calming. Even if it was just another "Full House" marathon...

Some unmeasurable time later, Axel got a text on his phone saying that Larxene would be home late, and to go ahead and order a pizza. Axel agreed, trying his best to keep the irritation out of his voice. Nope; he still wasn't over it.

He dialed up the nearest Domino's quickly, ordering something with plenty of cheese and sauce but not really paying much attention to the rest. Then he grabbed a Miller Lite from the fridge and promptly fell asleep on the couch, until the sound of the door being shoved open finally woke him up again.

"Jeez, Axel! The pizza guy's been out here for twenty minutes knocking!" Axel's head perked up at the smell of warm pizza, as his girlfriend elbowed the door aside. She was carrying her bag, the mail, and the pizza, and seemed to be struggling with it all.

"Will you get your ass over here and help me?"

Groaning softly to himself, the redhead pushed off from the couch and practically stumbled forward, still in a somewhat sleepy haze. Larxene sighed, handing off the large square box. "Were you drinking or napping this time?"

"It's too early for being drunk, Lar," Axel grumbled back, snatching the mail away and looking at it absently as he walked. All junk today. "And thanks for leaving me to walk in the rain. I feel so loved."

"Cut the whining, Axel. It was your own damn fault you forgot your umbrella." She dropped the wet leather bag by the front door with a thump. Axel, who was already opening the pizza box and scarfing down two pieces whole, expected her to immediately come over to the couch and flop down with him, but she didn't. When he looked up again from his "feast of champions," as his friend Demyx liked to call it, the door fell shut with a loud slam and she was no where to be seen.

That was curious. But in a moment, she returned, and Axel's eyes boggled at what she was carrying.

At first glance, it looked like a little golden ball of hair, like something you might see at a salon after Demyx shaved all his hair off. But it moved slightly, twitching in her arms, and Axel knew right away that whatever it was, it was alive. He groaned audibly.

"Lar, not again! I told you already; we are not getting a pet!" Axel was allergic to most things with fur, but it wasn't too serious. He had a couple prescribed medications to keep the hives at bay. But Larxene ignored him entirely. She came over to the couch and set the little ball of fur down, looking over it worriedly.

"Lar! Are you listening?"

Still, she said nothing. Beyond irritated, Axel moved from his chair over to the couch to see what she had brought home this time. As mean and bossy as she could get sometimes, Larxene had a soft spot for animals. She always wanted a pet when she was little, but her parents had liked their house the way it was. Clean, and relatively intact. Just the way Axel liked it, for that matter.

Finally getting a good look, Axel practically jumped back, recoiling with disgust. The little golden ball was actually a kitten, and a badly malnourished one by the look of it. It was a tiny little thing in every sense, and its fur, while short, was matted and tangled in places. Forcing himself to approach again, Axel reached out a hand and poked the kitten's stomach. The fur felt wet and cold, but he could still feel a little breathing in that body.

"Lar..." he began slowly, feeling a guilt trip coming on. Sure enough, as the blond looked up at him, her eyes were sad and a tad bitter.

"I found him in an alley as I was walking to the car. I couldn't just leave the poor thing out there all alone!" Then she was glaring at him, poking his chest with her finger harshly. "Let me guess...You want me to throw it back out in that storm?...And people think I'm heartless!"

Axel sighed, knowing he couldn't win this fight. True, he didn't like cats in the least, but Larxene would hate him forever if he just threw the kitten out.

"But Lar," he said, with growing exasperation. "You don't even know if it'll last the night! Look at it!" He pointed to the subject in question, whose eyes still hadn't opened. The kitten didn't move in the slightest. "Do you know how to take care of a kitten?"

"I'll look it up, Axel. It'll be fine," she said flippantly. "You're being a big baby about this."

"But then what?" he argued back, waving his arms slightly. He knew that if the kitten lived, Larxene would insist on keeping it. It would be something extra to suck up all their money. Not to mention Axel's allergies would start actin up. "You'll need to feed it and play with it and keep it clean! If it makes too much noise, then Luxord will just tell us to get rid of it anyway."

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it, okay?" Larxene snapped, turning her attention back to the kitten. "Now go make yourself useful and get some blankets. The poor little thing looks frozen."

Axel stomped away, grumbling, not caring if he bothered the people below. He knew from the start of his relationship that Larxene would wear the pants for the most part, but now even what little control he had before was slipping! When he reached the closet, he pulled out one of his girlfriend's nicest blankets, hoping to scorn her for revenge.

That thing isn't getting one of MY blankets...

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

As soon as he got back, Larxene commanded him to go onto google and look into every page he could find about kittens. Groaning even more, he sat on their joint computer for what felt like hours, pouring over every page at least five times to be sure. It seemed as though it might be a severe case of pneumonia, but Larxene's relieved call distracted him from reading more in depth.

"Axel, come quick! It's waking up!"

The redhead snorted and slowly left his post, not really caring it the kitten was awake or not. No, he wasn't cruel to animals; he just preferred that they stayed on their side of nature, and he stayed on his. The side filled with concrete and cars, where no animal should be straying into anyways. Screw people and their pets!

When he entered the living room, he became aware of a soft, pitiful mewling sound. Larxene was sitting in front of the couch, cooing and smiling as she watched the little ball of fur weakly trying to untangle its legs from the blanket.

"Awwww...Look at him, Axel! Isn't he cute?"

Axel took a seat on his chair beside the couch and looked at the little creature warily. The kitten's fur was a little dryer now, and looked to be some light variety of orange tabby. It did indeed seem to be awake and looking around at everything curiously, even a little fearfully. But what really struck Axel were the eyes. Those groggy little eyes were deep, deep blue; they seemed too intelligent-looking, too beautiful to be on a cat. Then the eyes turned to him and grew just a little larger, and that combined with the happy cooing of his usually difficult-to-please girlfriend brought a small, warm smile to Axel's lips. He sighed again, getting up off the chair and kneeling beside Larxene on the floor.

The things I do...

"Isn't he precious?" Larxene reached out a hand and let the kitten sniff it cautiously. Once he deemed her safe enough, the kitten leaned a little closer, hesitantly, and rubbed its furry head against her palm, purring weakly. Axel half-expected his girlfriend to squeal and snatch the little thing up in a hug, but he knew Larxene better than that. Even with her soft spot, the woman had limits.

"How do you know it's a he?" he asked absently, hearing the kitten mewl softly again.

Larxene rolled her eyes and pushed the blanket off the kitten slightly, pointing south. The redhead choked a laugh, realizing what she meant, but the kitten didn't seem very happy at all that his extra warmth had been removed. He slowly hopped away from Larxene's hand and got back up on the blanket, stretching a bit before finally settling himself down to sleep again. He snuggled up into the fabric, letting out a cute little yawn (deceptively cute, in Axel's opinion) before he drifted off into sleep again.

Larxene and Axel watched the kitten for a moment, seeing his little chest rise and fall almost normally now. The blond smiled, reaching out and rubbing her finger along the underside of his chin, listening as he purred softly.

"I think he's going to be alright. I can get him some cat food tomorrow, but for now there's some milk in the fridge." Axel shrugged at that. It seemed like the kitten want to sleep more anyways.

"Well, he's better now. Why don't we drop him-"

"Axel!" Larxene narrowed her eyes and pouted firmly. "We are NOT getting rid of him! I found him, and I make most of the income, so I say we keep him!"

"I know, I know! It was worth a shot..." Axel scratched the back of his head and sighed in defeat. Cute or not, he needed a pet like he needed a hole in the head. Maybe Demyx was right. Maybe he was officially whipped, as his blunt friend would call it.

The rest of the night was pretty uneventful. The couple finally got around to the pizza, though it was cold and needed to be reheated for Axel. Larxene set aside he essentials for work and picked up the kitten, bringing the sleeping little ball back to their room. Axel saw what was coming and growled.

"Oh no! No! No way is that thing sleeping in my bed!"

"It's just one night, Axel," his girlfriend shot back, equally irritably. "What if he gets sick again and none of us hear him because we're asleep in here?"

"Tough luck, I say!"

"AXEL!"

Axel couldn't believe this. His girlfriend was such a traitor, giving that little furball everything so easily! He hadn't had HIS way once this entire night!

They had never fought this much before, and it was all over a stupid cat!

Finally the redhead settled into bed, grumbling as Larxene dropped the little kitten onto her pillow. As she climbed in bed, she wrapped her arms around the tabby and cuddled it close, practically smashing it into her bosom. But the kitten didn't stir in the slightest. He was probably exhausted, whatever he had been off doing before Larxene came and found him...

Axel rolled his eyes and rolled over, trying to ignore the fact that HIS space was being invaded by that little monster. He then sneezed, groaning again at the onslaught of allergies he knew would greet him in the morning.

Oh well. It was just one night, right?


	2. Cat naps

Axel groaned slightly in his sleep, not at all ready to get up and greet the day. He didn't hate his job, but at the same time it didn't pay very well, and he wanted a house of his own someday. Preferably a house that he and Larxene would both pay for.

Something wet tickled his nose then, and he batted it away, whatever it was. Scratching it, Axel groaned again and rolled over, hoping by some miracle that if he squeezed his eyes shut hard enough, he might actually just go back to sleep. Unfortunately for him, he had no such luck. For just as soon as the wet touch left his nose, Axel felt something right up in his face again, tugging lightly at his hair where it trailed down the pillow beside him.

"Lar, go away!" he whined, batting his hand again at nothing in particular. "It's too early for this!" His alarm hadn't even gone off, for pete's sake! Wasn't there some kind of law against waking a man up before his alarm?

Something warm and wet touched his nose again, and this time Axel was ready. With a lightning fast hand, he shot it up to right in front of his face and made a grab for what he assumed to be Larxene's face or hand. Hey, maybe she was gonna pour water on him to get him up. He hadn't put it past her in college, so he wouldn't put it past her now.

His fingers curled around something soft and somewhat fluffy. Axel's green eyes shot open in surprise, and soon he was faced with a tiny, furry, squirming ball of kitten clenched loosely in his hand. Luckily he hadn't squeezed to hard, or that might have been more of a problem.

For several minutes, the redhead just stared at his hand dumbly. The kitten didn't seem to like being held like that, so it continued to squirm and bite occasionally, though his teeth weren't all that sharp as of yet. When the events of the previous night finally came back to him, Axel groaned and pushed the little kitten to the edge of the bed.

"Back, vile creature," he muttered, almost under his breath, as he dropped it unceremoniously at the end. He then rolled back over and snuggled into his pillow, intent to fall right back asleep again.

Dumb cat...

All seemed quiet and peaceful then, until the growing sound of mewling reached the redhead's ears. He cringed as the sound came closer to his ear, and even jolted slightly when he felt little teeth tugging bluntly on his unguarded ear.

Once again, Axel grabbed the kitten and held it still, sitting up in bed slightly as he held the occupied hand out before him. Wide blue eyes looked up at him innocently, but he only scoffed at the attempt. No way this little furball was going to butter him up!

"Listen, cat," he said, a little harshly as he pointed a finger in the kitten's face. "I don't like you. You may like me, but I don't like you. We'll get along just fine if you stay outta my way. So please...shut up and let me sleep!" With that finally growl, he dropped the kitten onto Larxene's pillow and rolled over to face away from it. "Now go back to sleep!"

For a moment, there was no more sound, and Axel's eyes cracked open slightly as he appreciated the silence. That was until he caught sight of the clock...

"Ten o'clock! Jesus, I'm gonna be late!"

He scrambled up in bed and threw off the covers, practically sprinting to his dresser to find something to wear. The music store was pretty casual about dress, and the owner wasn't too strict about arriving on time, but at this rate, Axel was going to be there two to two and a half hours late!

Throwing on a loose pair of jeans and clean collared shirt (at least, it was deemed clean by the smell test), Axel ran to the kitchen and tossed some bread in the toaster.

"Coffee...coffee..." He pulled out a pack of the regular stuff and started heating the water. How Larxene managed to survive on decaf, he would never know...

It was then that Axel realized that Larxene hadn't woken him up that morning. She was always ready to kick him out of bed if he was late for work. He was enough of a bum as it was, she claimed. But this morning, she was gone so quickly. Stopping in his tracks, Axel thought...Come to think of it, she'd left him all alone with the cat. Almost like he could be trusted.

Then, as he approached the fridge to grab a yogurt, he caught sight of a note scrawled out in somewhat messy cursive.

_Axel,_

_Called you in sick today so you can keep an eye on the kitten..._

His eyes boggled as he read that. What the hell? His boss would have a heart attack if he knew Axel was skipping out...

_You're gonna have to go buy him some stuff. Cat food, litter box, maybe one or two toys for him to play with._

Axel groaned. He supposed he knew where HIS paycheck was going this month. To the stinking cat...Life sucked...

_Just keep him out of trouble til I get back. And no ditching him either! If you want Mr. Flurry to stay safe and intact, you'll leave the damn cat alone. Understood?_

Oh, now she was threatening Mr. Flurry! That was just unfair! And, sad as it was, Axel knew that no matter where he tried to hide that old stuffed bear of his, Larxene would find it and grind it into wood shavings without hesitation.

He'd have to ask Demyx later why he was still dating this crazy woman...

_Be back late tonight. I have to review a couple big contracts at work, so you'll have to fend for yourself again tonight. ~Larx_

"Love you too, Babe," he muttered sarcastically, pulling open the fridge door and taking out some milk for his coffee. And as he went to pour a little into his mug, he got the idea to put some into a saucer for the kitten to tide him over. Axel had no intention of rushing out to the supermarket right away...

Setting his breakfast aside, Axel wandered back into the bedroom to find the little orange tabby scampering back and forth on the bed. He seemed to be exploring everything, ducking in and out of blankets and peering into any small, dark places he could find. The redhead watched silently for a moment, chuckling before he could catch himself. That actually _was_ very cute.

But its charm wore off quickly enough. Axel wasn't the type to sit on youtube for hours watching "I Can Haz Cheeseburger;" he just didn't have the attention span. And kittens that made funny sounds when they ate or babies that set off giggling fits with each other was only so amusing to him for so long. After the four minute mark, it was just kind of annoying...

Axel cleared his throat, and chuckled again as the kitten slid to a halt, looking up at him expectantly. Unlike last night, the thing seemed to be a little ball of crazed energy. Perhaps he wasn't as sick as they'd originally thought. Perhaps it was all a trick just to get into their house and eat them out of everything they owned. Pets were insidious that way...

"Food." The redhead waved the saucer of milk in the air, before turning on his heel and preparing to leave. He heard the kitten mewl loudly, and realized that could be used in the future to translate "I'm hungry." He looked back to see the furball sitting right on the edge of the bed, looking down at the floor below nervously. It called out again, and Axel sighed heavily.

"I get it." He strode back over and reached out his hand, letting the kitten sniff it curiously for a moment before he climbed on. Axel scooped the kitten up and placed him on the floor, before straightening and turning away. "Come on, you vile creature."

He took everything to the tv room and flipped on the morning news, watching absently as the kitten lapped at the milk. He watched with thinly veiled amusement when, upon deciding he'd had enough, the cat then proceeded to play with the bowl, pouncing on it and threatening to tip it over. He almost succeeded, had Axel not grabbed it first.

"Hey! Chill out, cat! Go on!" he shooed it lightly. "Go play with something else!"

The kitten only cocked its furry head to the side, blinking up at him uncomprehendingly.

"Oh, stop the innocent routine! What's the matter? Spreken ze english?"

Again, only curious blinks. Axel sighed again, scratching the back of his head in mild annoyance.

"We'll go get you stuff later. Tv now." If this was going to be a day off for him, then he was damn well going to enjoy it.

The little cat soon became bored with watching his new owner watch tv. If he seemed frustrated at all, he hide it well. Axel never even noticed as he went off to explore the rest of the apartment, listening for things that squeaked like mice and playing in small, dark corners that he probably shouldn't have played in. The world can be a dangerous place for one so small, even when that one really ought to know better...

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

It was about two o'clock before Axel decided he would actually get up and do something. In truth, he fell asleep on the couch and the time just seemed to drift by. He was lulled to sleep by the static and aimless ramblings of interviewed politicians, who always answered questions so vaguely that it wasn't really an answer at all.

Groggy from the extra sleep, Axel meandered back to the kitchen, intent to fix himself a sandwich. It was then that he saw the note again and uttered a soft, grumpy, "Oh yeah..." before wandering off in search of his unwanted new pet.

"Here kitty." God, he felt so stupid calling for it like that. Larxene would kill him if he lost it, though. "Here kitty kitty..."

It seemed he searched the entire apartment, but the kitten wasn't there. He seemed to be afraid of heights and would not jump up himself, so that ruled out the cupboards or on the bed. Axel was irritated, having to crawl around on his hands and knees, looking in shoes and under the bed for the little kitten.

"Come on out, you vile creature." He decided his nickname for it would be "devil-spawn." Hey, it made him feel better, and it wasn't as though the cat had feelings and could understand him.

"Alright, kitty. Come on out. This isn't funny.."

Still, the cat was no where to be found. After fifteen minutes more of searching, Axel began to get worried. What if he had escaped somehow? He was so tiny, he could have crawled through a hole somewhere...or maybe...

No. He shook his head, firmly reprimanding himself for being so nervous. There weren't any holes big enough for that cat to fit through. Still...Larxene would have his head, and Mr. Flurry's as well, if he didn't find it soon.

Once again, he combed the whole place over, and still no sign of the kitten. Now he began to worry for different reasons. Not that he really cared about the thing...just the thousands of ways his girlfriend would slaughter him if any harm came to it...

"Kitty?" He leaned close to the air vents, listening for any scampering or mewling coming from inside. What if the cat got inside somehow and got stuck? What if he'd been in there for hours?

Hearing nothing, Axel moved on and checked every crevice he could possibly fit in to reach. Under tables, dressers, chairs; behind the fridge. Everywhere he looked.

Nothing again! Axel scratched his head harshly, growling in annoyance.

_Where is the little runt?_

Could he be hiding somewhere where he might get stepped on and squished?

_He's fine..._ Axel told himself again.

But what if he was alone and hungry? Or scared?...Could cats even get scared, or was he just projecting?

_This is all Larxene's damn fault! _he thought. _She should have known not to trust me with that damn cat in the first place!_

Even in the darkest places, no deep blue eyes popped out to greet him.

Finally, Axel stumbled back into the laundry room, growling as he saw the basket a mess and dirty clothes lying all over the floor. He knelt down and began to pick them up, his mind still picturing all the things that could have happened to the little kitten, left alone for several hours and way too curious for his own good.

_What if he-_

Suddenly, as he paused, Axel heard a soft snoring sound in the room. Focusing, he tracked it over to the laundry basket laying slightly on its side. He pulled up one of his t-shirts near the edge, and breathed a heavy sigh of relief. The kitten was there, curled up asleep in a tangled web of shirts, his back left foot kicking slightly as he dreamed of something. Whatever it was that cats dreamt about. The redhead smacked his forehead in slight exasperation, feeling dumb for not checking there earlier. Of course the kitten would go make a bed for himself somewhere. He was so little and burned energy fairly quickly.

"You're a brat, cat." But Axel couldn't help smile as he reached out and stroked the kitten's head with his index finger. It leaned into his attention, purring slightly in his sleep again, making Axel smiled wider. It really was cute, even if it was a pain in the neck...

After sometime, he recalled, "You still need a name, don't you?"

The kitten leaned closer to the finger, nuzzling it sleepily before hazy little blue eyes blinked up at him. They reminded Axel so much of his friend Sora's eyes; so blue and vibrant and full of light. The kitten even had Sora's ridiculous energy to boot, though he was still young and not pumped full of sugar like Sora was. Playing around with the name to see what fit, Axel paused for a few minutes. He then looked down at the stirring kitten, poking its ear and laughing as it twitched slightly in response.

"How about...Roxas. You like that?" The kitten only raised its head and licked his finger affectionately. Axel had to work to keep his smile from widening. He had to remember he hated this little thing.

"Then it's settled. You're Roxas from now on. Got it memorized?"

Larxene would probably still be angry when she got home, but he didn't care. He should get to name it after all, since he'd had no other say in the matter. Upon his girlfriend's arrival home later, he also argued that he should get to skin it alive, as it had relieved itself on one of his favorite shirts.

Sometimes a guy just couldn't win...


	3. All work and no play

About a week later...

"I'm sorry. You want me to _what_?"

Larxene was in a hurry this morning, so she didn't even bother to look up at her boyfriend as she grabbed what she needed for the day. Jacket, briefcase, and...and what else?

"You heard me, Axel. Now I don't have time for this! Just take the cat with you!"

"You really think my boss would go for that?" Axel snapped back, just barely missing stepping on said cat as he followed the blonde to the door, whining all the way. Roxas meowed softly, following them more slowly, curious.

"Just make up an excuse or something! I don't care! He's still too young to be left here alone all day, and my boss is tired of me bringing him!"

Axel grabbed her shoulder and turned her around. "And how much longer are we gonna have to do this?"

Larxene looked down at the kitten as it trotted up behind them, pausing a moment to rub against Axel's leg and purr. The man grimaced and gently shoved the little thing away with his foot, but a minute later, it was back. Axel didn't look too happy with it, but Larxene couldn't help but smile. It was pretty endearing the way the kitten had taken to Axel. He wasn't even all that nice to it, but it was as if giving the kitten a name created a bond between the two of them, a bond that Axel couldn't escape. Now wherever he went in the apartment, Roxas was there somewhere as well. Like a shadow, she'd noticed.

The blonde paused, sighing. "Just a little while longer. If you don't want to deal with him all day, why don't you let Demyx play with him?"

A thoughtful look crossed Axel's face, then he brightened at the idea.

"That's perfect! If the boss gets made, I'll blame it on Demyx! Saix already has it out for him anyway!"

Larxene frowned. "That seems asshole-ish. Even if it was going to cost him his job, you'd still let him take the fall for the cat?"

Axel rolled his eyes. "Saix would never fire him. Just give him cleaning duty and other stuff like that." Despite it not being the greatest or most glamourous job in the world, Demyx loved it. Enough to suffer through hard work and angry glares from Saix. Demyx was an aspiring musician, and the music store, small and insignificant as it was, was like his dojo. Axel wasn't crazy about working there, but it was nice and simple, and he got to be with his best friend all day. That meant something, even if it had more meaning when they were in high school or college. It was cool.

Larxene sighed. "My noble boyfriend...Whatever. Just take the damn cat and stop complaining. I'll bring home a new bed for him tonight so he doesn't have to sleep on the bed with us."

Axel looked excited. He kissed her cheek and hugged her tightly. "Awesome, Lar! Thanks!" His allergies had been getting pretty bad lately, what with the cat so close to him everywhere he went. It was murder on his poor body.

"Yeah, sure." His girlfriend shrugged him off and opened the front door. "Just get ready for work. You're going to be late again."

Axel saluted with that big goofy grin he knew she hated. "Yes sir!"

* * *

Despite earlier claims that he would be late, when Axel reached the store, he found the lights off in the place and the door still locked. Rolling his eyes, he pulled out his phone to give his boss a call, when suddenly he was tackled from behind by the incredible force of nature that could only be-

"Axel! Hey man! You're here!"

Demyx.

The redhead sighed, pulling his face off the gross floor and glaring over his shoulder.

"Great. Now that we've established this, COULD YOU GET OFF ME!"

The mullet head complied, and even helped pull Axel to his feet. Dusting himself off, Axel turned to his energetic friend and snapped, "You're lucky I didn't break my cellphone."

Demyx raised his hands defensively. "I didn't mean to! Honest! I was just wondering why the store's so dark and everything. I've been waiting here for like, half an hour, and the store's still closed, so I got worried, and then I saw you, and-"

"Great, Dem. Just chill. I was about to call Saix and see what's up."

The blonde smiled. "Oh. Thanks man. You know, I don't know what I'd do if this place closed down so suddenly. This store is like my life, it's-"

For a moment, Axel relished in the silence, but it was so abrupt and out of character that he had to look away from his contacts list and see what distracted Demyx. He looked over to see the blonde looking down at his bag, which he know realized was mewling.

"Um, Ax? Your bag's making weird sounds."

"Oh. Yeah." He lifted the bag up a little and reached inside with his other hand, drawing out the little kitten by the scruff of his neck. Roxas didn't look too bad for having fallen and almost been crushed by the two of them, but his fur was a little on end and the little cat looked a bit agitated, making little sounds of discomfort even as he was hoisted out.

"OH MY GOD, HE'S SO CUTE!"

Axel barely had a moment to register before he suddenly felt the absence of cat in his hand. Demyx had snatched it away with inhuman speed, cuddling and squeezing the little thing close to his chest as he squealed.

"OH AXEL! WHERE'D YOU FIND THIS CUTE LITTLE GUY? HE'S THE MOST ADORABLE THING I'VE EVER SEEN!"

The redhead groaned. "Yeah, yeah. Now be careful with it, okay? It's still just a baby, and I don't think it's healthy for you to be squeezing it like that."

Demyx blinked, looking down only to find the kitten squirming in his arms, trying to get free.

"Oops. Sorry little guy." He moved a hand to support his little back legs and wrapped another hand loosely around his middle, gently pressing down to keep the cat from getting free and clawing his way up his shoulder. "So you definitely know it's a he?"

"I've had him for a while, Dem. I'm sure."

The blonde turned to look at him curiously, now petting the kitten a little. Roxas seemed to be calming down, even purring a little, as he nuzzled against Demyx's chest.

"But I thought you didn't like cats..."

Axel groaned. "I don't. Larxene brought this little guy home a week ago. He was half dead from the storm, and she insisted we keep him even after he started looking better. I took him to the vet last week, so we're sure he doesn't have anything like rabies, but I'm still not happy about it." Though he had to admit, when the kitten looked back at him and mewled softly, a small smile broke out over his face without permission.

"Aw, he likes you Axel!" Demyx chirped, pulling the cat away from his shirt to give back to Axel. "Come on, little guy. Go back to your daddy."

"Very funny," the redhead deadpanned. Roxas's little claws were still clinging to Demyx's shirt slightly, but after a minute they managed to get them off. Axel held the cat up, almost over his shoulder, shivering slightly when he felt something warm and wet against the exposed skin.

"Is he licking me?"

Demyx looked up and "awwed." "He is! It's so cute!" Looking back at his friend, he asked, "So what's his name?"

Axel sighed. "Roxas."

"That's kinda cool. How'd Larxene think of it?"

"She didn't. I...I named him."

Demyx squealed again. "And I thought you didn't like him!"

"I don't!" Axel snapped back. "This thing's been nothing but trouble, ever since she brought him home!"

Just then, his cellphone rang. Axel grabbed the cat a little harshly and shoved it back into the bag, ignoring it's little mewls as he answered. "Saix. Where the heck are you, man? It's time to open up!"

Demyx grimaced at the action, but he waited patiently as the conversation played out.

"You left the keys where?...Oh, okay. Yeah. Got it. So just open it up and wait for you?...Sure. Bye." Axel snapped the phone shut and put it back in his pocket, turning to his friend. "He got stuck in bad traffic. Sounds like he left the spare keys under the mat again. We'll open up the store and just wait for him, I guess."

"Cool! So, uh, what are you gonna do with the cat?"

The redhead sighed heavily, fishing the keys out from under the mat and unlocking the door, hoisting his bag onto his shoulder.

"No clue."

* * *

Once inside, Axel left his bag on the counter and began Saix's usual routine. Turn lights on, check the registers, make sure the counter and floors are clean, then check the coffee machine in the back. Demyx ran off in one direction, shouting something about putting away and organizing the newest pop and rock singles, and the two set to work. By the time Axel ran to the front and changed the closed sign to open, he brushed the faintest sheen of sweat off his brow and smiled. He wasn't used to doing this much in the mornings, but it was part of being assistant manager, filling in when Saix wasn't there. That, and he couldn't expect Demyx to do that much without somehow screwing up.

And, naturally, when he returned to his bag only to find it tipped over and no cat inside, he began to panic. Just a little.

"Great, I lost that damn cat again!" He smacked the right side of his temple in frustration, turning to Demyx, who was just a short distance behind him putting a few cd's in their appropriate categories. "Dem, you didn't see Roxas run by here, did you?"

The blonde looked up. "What? Oh, the kitty. No, I didn't see him." A quick glance to the front of the store, before a panicked look crossed his face. "You don't think he got out, do you?"

Axel shook his head. "Nah, door's closed." They kept it closed most of the time to keep the ac in in the summer time, and there was no way Roxas could have pushed open the heavy door on his own.

"Well we gotta find him! He's too small to be wandering around here by himself!"

The redhead sighed. This was exactly why he didn't want to bring the cat in the first place. A) Roxas still needed to be feed often, being so young and weak, and b) there was a lot he could get into around there that could lead to trouble. Heavy things falling on him, getting stepped on or let out by customers. Or worse, if Saix got there and found him first-

"Goddamn traffic!"

Oh shit.

The blue haired man pushed his way through the heavy door and grumbled, brushing past the two workers without even so much as a "hello." He headed straight for the back room where his office and the storage area was, and disappeared quicker than either guy could follow. That meant he was in an even worse mood today.

Shit.

"Dem, you gotta help me find him before the boss does. If he finds that cat back in his personal things, he'll probably skin it alive...and eat it."

The color drained from the blonde's face. "Oh no! We have to save him!"

"Good morning."

Axel and Demyx turned to greet the incoming customer, smiling widely even though both their eyes were really scanning the floor, looking in case Roxas was around and decided to bolt. But the door closed and no kitty was found, so with a short sigh of relief, Axel pushed Demyx back to search the back room while he dealt with the customer.

"Good morning, ma'am. Can I interest you in any of our savings deals?"

Demyx nodded shakily, turning to face the long walk back into the dark storage room, that also lead to Saix's office. Gulping, he shuffled back there, occasionally calling to see if the cat would come. He walked past the cardboard boxes full of merch and cds and looked behind the shelves, under and around the boxes, everywhere he could think of.

"And what exactly do you think you're doing?"

The blonde gulped again, slowly raising his eyes to find his boss only about a foot away from him, gold eyes narrowed and impatient. The man was bent slightly at the waist, looking down at him with that condescending air, hands firmly on his hips.

"W-Well, you see," he stuttered, getting up and walking slowly past the man, towards his office. He was still listening for any meowing, any indication that Roxas was stuck or hiding somewhere. "I came looking for those...customer reports!"

A blue eyebrow raised, unimpressed. "And what would you need those for?"

"Axel sent me back to get them! So, uh, I'll just go and...get them. Kay?" He hurried to Saix's office, hearing the man follow behind, grumbling about something, faintly sounding like "too early for this." Once he opened the door, Demyx almost squeaked.

"What the hell are you stopping for, Demyx?"

"N-Nothing!" he replied quickly, slamming the door shut and almost taking out two fingers in the process. Right there, on Saix's desk, was Roxas, playing with one of those little pendulums you randomly see on important businessmen's desks. He was swatting it with his paw, before lowering into a crouch, staring at the moving piece like he was ready to pounce. It would have been so cute, if not for the situation.

"Well, Demyx, whether you get those reports or not, _I _need to get back into my office. So if you'd kindly get out of the way..." He snapped the last bit, shoving past Demyx as he opened the door.

"No! Wait!" The blonde grabbed hold of him and tried to yank him back, but he lost his balance somewhere in the process, and the two men ended up toppling onto the floor in the office.

"DEMYX, YOU IMBECILE! YOU HAVE THREE SECONDS TO GET OFF OF ME OR I'LL-"

"Moving! MOVING!"

The blonde scrambled to his feet, checking the desk for a second before offering his boss a hand. The kitten was no longer on the desk, he noted with relief, but now he didn't know where the damn thing was!

Saix smacked his hand away and stood angrily, brushing himself off.

"What kind of idiot shoves himself through a door! This was one of my nicer shirts, and you just _had _to shove me on that disgusting floor?" After more grumbling, he turned to Demyx, eyes screaming hatred and sleeplessness. "I want you out of here! Now!"

"B-But those reports-"

"Here!" Saix stormed ahead, tore open one of the file cabinets, ripped the manilla folder out, shoved it into his hands, then shoved him toward the door. "Now give me some goddamn peace!"

"But sir-"

The door was slammed in his face. Demyx stood outside the door for a moment, listening to the grumbling within and praying Roxas wouldn't be found. With his boss in this kind of mood, the cat was going to be dead for sure.

As the blonde looked down glumly, sighing with defeat and despair, he caught sight of something odd. The corners of the room were a bit dusty because he and Axel were somewhat lazy with cleaning, so when he looked down and saw a clear spot in the dust, small and paw-shaped and facing away from Saix's room, he began to smile again.

"Woah!" He knelt down and examined the spot, seeing that it really was a little paw print in the dust. "How'd he manage to get out of there?"

With hope restored, the man shot to his feet and scrambled back out into the store, looking around for a little orange tabby, when-

"Awwww. Mommy, isn't he so cute?"

Demyx looked over toward the register counter and smiled when he saw two little girls petting a small, familiar round ball of fur. Roxas seemed to like the attention, purring and rubbing against their arms where they leaned up to play with him. He even rolled over and let them rub his belly, making the girls laugh and squeal. He really was a cute little cat...

Axel was speaking with one of the parents, but he didn't look too happy. Once the adults moved off to check out the rest of the store and the girls were preoccupied with the kitten, Demyx scurried over and clapped him on the shoulder, beaming.

"Why you looking so glum, man? We found the cat; everything's gonna be fine!"

Axel rolled his eyes and grumbled softly. When his friend gave him a curious look, the redhead simply pointed to a small, but just visible trail of dust and dirt leading up to the counter, even on the surface itself, which Roxas was still rolling in. Before Demyx even had time to really ask, he felt a dust pan and broom shoved into his hands. Axel pulled out a can of lysol and pointed firmly to the dirt trail below.

"You get to clean that up."


	4. Not so bad, I guess

The rest of the day at the store was pretty uneventful. Saix was not happy, but Axel kept him from skinning the kitten alive by promising to clean up after it. After several favorable reactions from the customers, the man seemed to become more comfortable with Roxas. He would even pet him occasionally, the ghost of a smile crossing his face as the kitten purred and nuzzled him back.

Axel was all too happy when the little cat had decided he'd had enough stimulation for one day, and curled up on the counter for a nap. Then the redhead could focus on his shift in peace.

"Thank you. Please come again." He waved as the group of pre-teen girls left the store, giggling and already beginning to rummage through their bags as they walked. Axel smiled and straightened one of the cds on the shelf behind him. Despite his doubts earlier, bringing Roxas hadn't been so bad after all. The cat was doing better for sales than any mascot or deal the store currently offered; he had observed that most people who saw the kitten had lingered in the store longer, and a good number of them had purchased at least one thing before they left. The business was welcomed, not as slow as most days.

The redhead looked up as his boss approached, familiar scowl still on his face. It didn't mean that Saix was unhappy necessarily. It always looked that way. On occasion, Axel remembered speculating with Demyx and a few other employees that maybe it had gotten stuck.

Well, not always the scowl, but the man's eyes always seemed cold and gleaming. The unusual shade of them didn't help.

"The next time you want to bring that animal in here, I'd appreciate warning ahead of time."

Axel held in a sigh. He expected being reprimanded for it, and was a bit surprised Saix hadn't said it sooner. But the way he phrased it, it almost sounded like-

"So...you mean I can bring him in again?"

The blue-haired man sighed heavily. "I suppose. It's not causing any trouble now...But if that thing bites anyone or destroys any of the merchandise, it's gone. Got it?"

The redhead nodded simply, oblivious to the small smile on his face. "Yes, sir." Leaving the kitten at home by itself wasn't an option yet, and there was no way Larxene could take care of it at her office and not get in trouble. His job was okay, but Axel valued his contributions a lot less than hers. Maybe if he got a real job one day, but he didn't feel too strongly about it now.

'Maybe I could teach the furball to chase mice or fend off burglars.' Axel considered the former, but quickly dismissed the other. The cat was too small to fight off anything larger than a mouse. Even if his little claws and teeth grew in more, Roxas looked about as formidable as a carebear. Still, the store had had some problems with mice in the past. If he could make the kitten useful somehow, he might feel better about having to put up with it all day.

Saix disappeared shortly after that, and Axel took to watching the kitten from the corner of his eye as he did random, menial tasks. Polishing the counter; rearranging the stock as necessary; all the while checking to make sure the cat stayed put. Demyx caught him at it once, laughing.

"He's asleep, dude. i doubt he's going to go anywhere."

Axel shot him an irritated look. "Don't count on it. That little furball can't be trusted. He's always messing around with me, following me everywhere, or running off just when Larxene wants me to get him." He regarded the little furball in question with a wary eye, and resisted the urge to laugh a little at himself. He wouldn't take it back now, but he sounded like a paranoid old woman.

"Awww! He actually follows you around? That's so cute!" Demyx sighed. "I wish I had a pet, but my place doesn't allow em."

"You could get a goldfish," the redhead said flatly. "I'd offer you Roxas, but then my ass'd be grass."

"Nah! I don't want something like that!" the blonde said dismissively. "If I got something, I'd want a pet I can cuddle and hold and pet. Something that can be my friend and follow me around sometimes, like Roxas does with you."

"Get a girlfriend."

The blonde narrowed his eyes, and Axel amended, waving his hand placatingly. "Boyfriend. Whatever. You get the gist."

"It's not that easy!" Demyx whined, scratching his head slightly. "Not all of us can just go out and find someone like that."

Axel raised an eyebrow at him. "Why don't you go out more?"

"You know I get nervous at parties sometimes, Ax."

"I get it, but getting out and meeting people involves _actually _getting out, Dem. You've got to put yourself out there, then when you find someone, go for him." He tried to be indifferent about it, but sometime's his friend worried him a little. Demyx was a nice guy, and he had dreams being a great musician someday, but he was pretty sensitive and insecure about things. He was a people person, and almost everybody liked him, but he worried about what people thought. Axel knew it held him back from completely enjoying himself, but he didn't know what to do to improve his confidence.

"I know," the blonde sighed. "I can't avoid stuff forever. Would you go with me sometime?" Blue eyes met his hopefully, and Axel sighed.

"Sure, Dem." He gave his friend a warm smile. "Just pick a night in advance and let me know." If it would help. Demyx was a good guy. He deserved to feel good about himself. Axel doubted his girlfriend would be up for it, especially if it was a weeknight, but he'd go with his friend, no problem. He liked parties, and had honestly missed going out to more. He'd been a bit more social in general in school.

"Thanks. I still wish I had a pet though," Demyx pouted, a small smile betraying his mood.

"Get a fish."

"I don't want a fish, Axel!"

"Then stop whining and suck it up."

"Excuse me?"

The two of them turned to find a rather annoyed-looking Saix, arms folded stiffly. A middle-aged woman stood behind him, glancing over his shoulder curiously.

"Perhaps instead of shooting the breeze, one of you two could help this customer here, who has been waiting so patiently for assistance." Both employees and the woman cringed a little as the man emphasized several words with a clear undercut of anger. Inwardly sighing, Axel volunteered himself.

"I would be glad to help."

Time passed slowly, and inevitably, Roxas woke up at one point, and returned to commanding the attention of anyone who came within three feet of his personal space. Axel did his best to ignore him and continue working, but he was eventually left with nothing to do but manning the register, and thus was right by the counter where the afore-mentioned creature resided. Thus, bored out of his mind, Axel sat and mindlessly pet the kitten, listening to the soft purr. Blue eyes blinked up at him, and Roxas gave a soft mewl.

Axel scoffed. "Yeah, yeah, cute overkill. Don't think that's going to work on me, Roxy. We've already established this." He tolerated the cat much better now, but he felt a slight prickle to his skin from so much frequent contact, and while the medicine kept most symptoms at bay, it couldn't block out all of them.

Roxas tilted his head curiously, and for a moment Axel almost swore he could see understanding in those eyes. Every now and again, the kitten would meet his gaze, and as strange as it was, the redhead could sense something. What, he wasn't sure, but a shake of his head banished the thought quickly, and a prick of his finger snapped him back to reality. He'd spaced out momentarily, and Roxas had grabbed the end of his finger with his tiny teeth, and began pulling at it. It reminded him of how people would play with their dogs, holding onto one end of a toy while the dog tried to wrestle it away from the other. It barely hurt.

With a quick, effortless tug, Axel pulled his finger out of the kitten's grasp, sending him tumbling backwards a short distance. The redhead had to chuckle at that.

"Klutz." It was cute, though. The little guy could be cute without even trying. That's what made him so insidious.

Roxas shook his short fur lightly and made what sounded like a sneeze. It could have been a snort, with the way those blue eyes seemed to glare at him. Almost like the cat _could _understand him.

"Trying to tell me you're ready to go home?" Axel evaded those little teeth this time, raising his finger above the cat's head as it tried to jump and catch it. He teased Roxas for a few minutes because there was literally no one left in the store, and amused himself by tiring him out all over again. His energy waning, Roxas finally gave up and turned away from him, ignoring the finger even as it tapped the edge of his wet little nose.

"See? Gets annoying after a while, doesn't it?" the redhead chuckled. When the cat continued to stare at the front door, ignoring him, he relented, and moved to scratch the area right behind his ears. Instantly, Roxas settled down and rolled onto his back, purring, and all too soon, his eyes slipped closed. Axel gave a small huff, but smiled at him.

"Fine, take another nap. Some company you are."

Demyx looked over at him curiously as he emerged from the back. "You talking to the cat, Axel?"

His friend rolled his eyes. "Sure. It's like talking to you, but shorter and smarter and-"

"Hey! Asshole!"

Axel just shrugged. "Just speaking the truth, Demyx. The cold, hard truth."

Luckily, the weather outside seemed harmless, even inviting, so Axel decided to walk home again. Sometimes Larxene would be nice and come get him, but he got it. She'd been busy lately, and as a result was more distant and irritable. At least to him. She was always pleasant to Roxas, no matter what he did.

The weather channel said thunderstorms possible later that night, so he decided if he was going to head out, he should go already.

"I'm heading out, Saix. See you tomorrow."

The man didn't look up from the papers he was reading, but grunted softly. Axel nodded and left to pack up his things, walking home with Demyx and a grumpy, sleepy kitten under his arm...

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Dinner was microwavable, and took about three minutes longer to make than it took to eat. Larxene looked over some of her work sitting in the living room with Axel, a ball of string between her toes that she would move occasionally when crossing her leg. By her feet, Roxas chased it back and forth, and batted it with his little paws. With the t.v. volume low, the three of them managed to keep entertained that evening, without having to interact much at all.

By the time Axel climbed into bed, he was exhausted. He couldn't quite figure out why; it wasn't from doing anything unusual at work. But suddenly, several days with reduced sleep and crap food were catching up to him, and his eyes closed with unnatural ease, even with his girlfriend moving throughout the room, getting herself ready to sleep. Axel heard the sounds of music coming from the apartment below, and the boom of thunder in the distance, as he drifted off to sleep...

But not long after the lights were off, and Axel was ready to fall dead to the world, a soft scratching came at the door, followed by several pitiful mewls.

'Jesus Chirst,' he thought. 'Not now...'

He willed the noises away, but minutes passed and the scratching and mewling only seemed to get more insistent. A louder crack of thunder echoed through the room, and the cat made a sound like a yowl, snapping Axel's eyes open. Larxene groaned beside him and turned on her side slightly.

"S'that Roxas?" Her words tended to slur more when she was falling asleep than when had drinks.

He pressed his palm over his eyes, the other hand clenching slightly at the pillow under his head.

"Don't know, don't care. Sleep, NOW." He rolled over and pulled the pillow over his head, only to feel a light slap on his arm.

"Axel, jus letem the fuck in, woudya?"

"No," he groaned back. "Stupid cat needs to learn to sleep on his own." Every night that they tried to get Roxas to sleep on his own, Axel or Larxene would always find him curled outside their door the next morning. Or almost trip over him, if they'd left the door open that night. He was like a child; afraid of the dark, begging for his parents to comfort and hold him. But Roxas wasn't a kid. He was a cat. Besides, didn't all children need to learn to deal with disappointment at some point? Axel remained unsympathetic, even as he heard the little kitten cry again.

They waited, listening to the storm raging outside, as it whipped tree branches along the siding and windows. The combination of scraping, scratching, thunder, and yowling finally drove Axel mad enough to get up again. Larxene sat up sleepily, yawning as he opened the door. Axel almost jumped out of his skin as the little ball of fur rushed past him, immediately making for the bed. Still too tiny to jump up, Roxas scurried under the bed and out of sight.

The redhead sighed, frustrated, and closed the door again. Larxene flicked on the light beside her bed.

"Wheres he?"

"Under the bed. Fucking cat." Couldn't he hide under the sofa? Why'd he _have_ to come in here?

"Axel, shut it." The woman rubbed her forehead briefly, before turning and bending down to glance under the mattress. "Put him up here, would you?"

Axel groaned. "What if he gets freaked out and pisses in the bed? Or he claws one of us?"

Larxene answered him with a short glare. He sighed and sat down on his knees, peering into the dark little space. He couldn't find blue eyes anywhere, standing out against the shadows, but as his eyes adjusted again, he saw a slightly lighter, ball-shaped thing, and knew that had to be Roxas. Reaching a hand in, he felt short, soft fur, and blinked as he realized the little thing was shaking. His ears caught a soft sound that reminded him of how people cried. It sounded pretty sad. Still not knowing much about animals though, part of that might have been projecting.

But the shaking was definitely not a good sign.

With a heavy sigh, Axel swept his hand out from under the bed, sweeping the little cat with it. He pulled the kitten into his arms and looked at it sternly. But something in his heart melted a little, when Roxas nuzzled into his chest and uttered the most pitiful mewl he'd heard yet.

'God damn it...'

He gave the kitten a firm look, and snapped his fingers to draw the cat's gaze up.

"Listen, creature." He pointed a finger at it, stopping it right before it touched the tip of his nose. "This is going to be a one-time thing, got it? And I better not hear a peep from you while I'm trying to sleep."

Roxas blinked uncomprehendingly, and Axel wondered if he _had _imagined it earlier. There was no way this cat could understand him. 'Look at him!' he thought. 'It's a wonder he even remembers his name!'

Larxene scoffed tiredly. "Give him to me, Axel." He complied, and his girlfriend cradled the kitten tenderly, petting and calming him. "Poor little thing must be scared to death."

Axel slid back into bed and rolled over, staring at his dresser for a moment thoughtfully.

"You found him in a storm, right? Maybe he's got bad memories or something..."

Larxene snorted, and the redhead resisted the urge to smack himself. 'The hell am I saying? It's a cat, for pete's sake!'

"Thank you, Dr. Freud. Now how about we get some sleep?"

Axel silently agreed, and for the rest of the night, they heard nothing more out of Roxas. It did surprise Axel, however, to find a familiar furball curled up asleep in his arms the next morning. Maybe the cologne was catnip or something...


End file.
